Fifth Avenue Sports

Blog

fifthavenuesports.com/

Profile

fifthavenuesports.com/author/a

Homepage

fifthavenuesports.com

  • Who Wore It Last? Steelers Jersey Number Edition

    Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced a host of new numbers for their incoming additions. Eleven new players and their new threads were unveiled, including a few surprising selections by players. Jersey numbers have always fascinated me. To some players it’s just a complete random pick. To others, it’s a symbol of a personal story or…

  • In The Biggest Game Of The Season, Penguins Step Up

    In the latest chapter of the Penguins-Capitals rivalry, a non-playoff game had a complete playoff feel as Pittsburgh charged forward to a 4-1 win. Heading into the game three points back of Washington for the second wild card spot, you could not understate how crucial this game was for the Penguins (or the Capitals for…

  • Penguins Need To Ride Hot Hand, Keep Ned In Net

    Last night was bonkers. After seven straight losses against the New Jersey Devils, the Pittsburgh Penguins first looked destined to make it eight. Heading into the third period, the Penguins found themselves down 3-1 in the Garden State, and the Devils were surging after scoring twice in the second frame. Low and behold, however, a…

  • Penguins Pose Excellent Opportunity For NCAA Free Agent Collin Graf, Should He Decide To Take It

    There is quite the buzz about undrafted college free agent Collin Graf. With his NCAA season with Quinnipiac University ending this weekend, the 21-year-old is now free to sign with any team he wants. And almost every team wants him. Michael Russo has reported that nearly 25 teams – over 3/4 of the NHL, have…

  • An Update On Emil Bemström Six Goal Watch

    At long last, Fifth Avenue Sports can finally provide you with an update on our official Emil Bemström Six Goal Watch™. Back on February 22nd, the Penguins traded forward Alex Nylander (who was in the AHL in the Pens’ organization at the time) and a 2026 sixth round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in…

  • Joel Blomqvist, Goaltenders, And The Road Ahead

    For those of you who don’t keep an eye on the prospect pipeline of the Pittsburgh Penguins, allow me to introduce you to Joel Blomqvist. Aside from maybe Brayden Yager, he is the prospect I am highest on in the Penguins’ low prospect pool. Blomqvist is a 6′ 2 goaltender from Finland who las lit…

  • These Buccos Battle

    For the first time in over 100 years, the Pirates have opened the season with a sweep on the road. The Pirates won all four games in Miami against the Marlins, the final game including a comeback from 5-0 down to win it 9-7 in extra innings. Pittsburgh opened the year with a 12-inning game…

  • Jose Hernandez The Unlikely Hero In Pirates’ Opening Day Win

    Pirates reliever Jose Hernandez could have never expected what transpired for him on Opening Day. Mostly because he wouldn’t be on the team. The Pirates’ bullpen, thought to be the best strength of this baseball team, lost several arms before the regular season even began. Dauri Moreta is out for the year, and Colin Holderman…

  • All Of The Penguins-Hurricanes Connections

    As I was spending this morning remarking at Jesse Puljujärvi’s performance for the Penguins last night as they hosted the Hurricanes, I mentioned that Puljujärvi, an ex-Hurricane, had stolen the show away from ex-Penguin Jake Guentzel in his first game back in Pittsburgh since the trade. But besides Puljujärvi and Guentzel, there are far more…

  • Jesse Puljujärvi Flips The Script In Jake Guentzel’s Homecoming

    Tuesday night’s game featuring the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins offered a lot in the entertainment department. It was Jake Guentzel’s first game back in Pittsburgh since the trade that sent him to Carolina. Guentzel, a fan favorite and Stanley Cup winner in 2017 with the team, traveled to PPG Paints Arena as a visitor…

  • Steelers Already Prepared As NFL Changes Kickoff Rules

    Shortly after the NFL announced that they would be changing the way that kickoffs are done, the Pittsburgh Steelers went out and signed one of the league’s most dangerous return men in Cordarrelle Patterson. The Steelers and Patterson agreed to terms on a two year deal worth a reported $6 million. Of course, there’s the…

  • Steelers Address Draft Need With Free Agency Instead

    With the Pittsburgh Steelers signing free agent Russell Wilson, and trading for Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears, the team has already addressed the major gaps in the quarterback position. However, the third string quarterback spot was still open, leaving many to believe the Steelers would use a Day 3 draft pick in April to…

  • Pirates Under Fire For Failing Due Diligence On Domingo German

    A rather damning story about new Pirates pitcher Domingo German was recently published in NJ.com has the organization under fire for an apparent lack of due diligence on the signing. The Pirates signed German to a minor league contract a few weeks ago, taking a flyer on a guy who they believed was willing to…

  • Capitals Recall Former Penguin Matthew Phillips

    It’s been a crazy year for Matthew Phillips. After lighting up the American Hockey League for the last few seasons, Philips finally earned a shot at the National Hockey League level. To start the 2023-24 season, the Washington Capitals signed him to a one-way contract and plopped him on their NHL roster. Phillips had spent…

  • Jack St. Ivany Will Make NHL Debut Tonight With Pens

    After being shuffled up and down between the AHL and NHL the last week, defenseman Jack St. Ivany will make his NHL debut tonight as the Penguins visit the Stars in Dallas. The Penguins recalled St. Ivany yesterday, marking his third recall in the last week. That move corresponded with Jonathan Gruden being re-assigned to…

  • Pirates’ Dauri Moreta Had UCL Surgery, Will Miss 14-16 Months

    Per reporting by Alex Stumpf, who covers the Pittsburgh Pirates for MLB.com, reliever Dauri Moreta has underwent UCL surgery, and will be out for all of 2024. His official recovery time is 14-16 months. If he takes all 16 months to recover, he would not be available to the Pirates until mid-July of 2025. The…

  • Billy McKinney Has To Make The Opening Day Roster

    There have been several players who have impressed in spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but no one has showed out quite like outfielder Billy McKinney. McKinney isn’t your typical spring training standout. He isn’t some too young kid who makes you want to believe he’s ready for the majors, even when he isn’t. He…

  • Penguins’ Collapse In New Jersey Means It’s Over…No, For Real This Time

    This happens at least once a week nowadays. A bad loss sets the Pittsburgh Penguins back, and we all say “well, it’s over,” and then in the next game they show up and win, and we all become the famous meme. But this time is different. There is no masculine urge to say “we’re back”…

  • Opinion: Let Kenny Pickett Be, He’s Only Hurting Himself

    Even after he is gone and no longer a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kenny Pickett is still the talk of the town. In his recent introductory press conference with his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, the newest quarterback on the roster said he was confident in the way he handled things in Pittsburgh, and…

  • Is There A Resurgence In Reilly Smith’s Game?

    Last night, after the Pittsburgh Penguins clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 at home, I tweeted out my thoughts on Reilly Smith’s game as of late. As has been told before, Smith had an incredibly hot start to the season for the Penguins, but cooled off in a hurry and never recovered. The winger was…

  • Why Not Both?

    They said it couldn’t be done. They said it wouldn’t be done. But the Steelers went ahead and did it anyway. In the latest in one of the most uncharacteristic offseasons in franchise history, the Steelers have completely flipped their quarterback room. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were two of the biggest names connected to…

  • The Sun Sets On A Weird Era In Pittsburgh Football

    In an absolute stunner, the Pittsburgh Steelers have traded quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles in a pick swap type of deal. The official deal goes as follows: Eagles reiceve: QB Kenny Pickett, pick No. 120 Steelers receive: pick No. 98, two seventh round picks in 2025 The embattled first round pick from two…

  • The Black And Yellow Blip That Was Antti Niemi

    In terms of worst runs in Pittsburgh sports history, Antti Niemi might take the cake in recent history. Challengers in the last few years have included Steelers players Gunner Olszewski and Mitch Trubisky, but Niemi provides a unique level of struggle to his time in Pittsburgh that is unlike anything else. What made it all the more surprising…

  • So, You’re Saying There’s A Chance

    It was an absolutely crazy day for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fans woke up this morning to a statement by the team that the shipment of Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads, which the team was set to give away at tonight’s game, had been stolen en route to Pittsburgh. This led to some of the greatest hockey humor…

  • Farewell, Sweet Prince

    As the Russell Wilson era begins in Pittsburgh, the sun sets on the Mason Rudolph era. Maybe calling Mason’s time “era” is a bit of a stretch, but with the Pittsburgh Steelers signing Wilson to a one-year deal, it almost certainly ends Rudolph’s time with the team. Rudolph is an unrestricted free agent, and with…

  • Steelers Nation, Let’s Ride?

    Russell Wilson is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Imagine hearing that sentence a few years ago. Per reporting from Ian Rapoport, the Steelers are signing the quarterback to a one year deal for $1.2 million after his release from the Denver Broncos. Wilson visited the Steelers on Friday, spending several hours at the facility. His next destination…

  • Minnesota Goes Wild, Pulls Goalie In Overtime

    Perhaps the Minnesota Wild are very aptly named. Tied 3-3 in overtime, the Wild decided to try something that many of us (myself included) have never seen before. While his team had possession of the puck during 3-on-3 overtime, Minnesota’s head coach, John Hynes, decided to pull the goaltender to get an extra attacker on…

  • Penguins Move Ruhwedel As Deadline Nears

    Once the Jake Guentzel trade happened, we all expected the dominos to start to fall. I did not think, however, that Chad Ruhwedel would be the first one. The Penguins traded the veteran defenseman to the New York Rangers in exchange for a fourth round pick in 2027. Woof. Ruhwedel, 33, has played in 47…

  • The Full Guentzel Trade, A Quick Return Analysis

    My friends, the moment we were all dreading has finally come. The Jake Guentzel trade is complete, officially. This unveiling of the trade has ben a mess from the start, but it’s here and, I’m not going to lie: it’s underwhelming. The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith (hey remember him?)…

  • The Jake Guentzel Trade Wasn’t Good, But It Wasn’t A Fleece

    It’s the first morning that Jake Guentzel is no longer a Pittsburgh Penguin. It’s crushing to think that his final skate in black and yellow was alone, in practice, while rehabbing from injury. Now that we all have had a little bit of time to process this whole ordeal, I wanted to take a broader…

  • The End Of An Era: Thoughts As The Penguins Get Demolished On And Off Ice

    Yesterday morning, as I was getting dressed, I reached into the top drawer. That’s the drawer that contains all my Penguins shirts, so naturally, it’s overflowing. I rummaged around in there for a while, before pulling out a shirt that was about halfway through the pile. It was my Jake Guentzel name and number shirt.…

  • Reilly Smith Did The Penguins A Big Favor, And It Was About Time

    Reilly Smith may have played his best game as a Pittsburgh Penguin. I say may because he had a few really good games in that early stretch of the season, when he looked like an absolute steal from the Vegas Golden Knights. He also may have played his last game as a Pittsburgh Penguin. In…

  • So Long Matthew Phillips, We Barely Got To Knew You

    One of the quickest, strangest runs for an NHL player in Pittsburgh came to an end earlier today, when the Washington Capitals claimed forward Matthew Phillips off waivers from the Penguins. Phillips joined the Penguins just a few weeks prior, when the team claimed him off waivers from Washington. Phillips was in the midst of…

  • Three Under The Radar Players Who Could Be Traded By The Pens

    In case you missed it, the Pittsburgh Penguins are sellers. They have to be after an abysmal west coast trip saw them net only 2 out of an available 8 points. After getting shutout in Seattle, blowing a 3-1 third period lead in Calgary, and getting demolished in Edmonton, the writing is on the wall…

  • Sell, Sell, Sell

    The path forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins is clear. After three straight losses to close out their west coast road trip, the plug has finally been pulled on the playoff hopes of these Penguins. It’s over. To stay realistically in the race, the Penguins needed a near perfect run on the west coast, and that…

  • Was Seattle The Nail In Penguins’ Coffin?

    Last night was a hard watch. Games that start at 10pm ET usually are, but when they go the way they did for the Penguins, it gets a lot harder. No matter what they did, Pittsburgh could not get anything going on the road against the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Seattle scored a fluky…

  • Not Broadcasting Pirates vs Orioles Hurts The Game Of Baseball

    Today down in warm sunny Florida, the Pittsburgh Pirates will take on the Baltimore Orioles during the early going of spring training. I would say we are still in the part of the spring training phase where fans actively want to watch baseball that means absolutely nothing in the standings. Whether you’ve just missed the…

  • Reilly Smith Is On The Move…Right?

    Here’s a funny story: a few weeks ago, in early February, I sat in the Hillman Library at the University of Pittsburgh. I had some time to kill before I had to run out and catch a flight to Florida later in the evening. While I sat there, I went down a hockey stats rabbit…

  • Termarr Johnson, 19, Steals The Show In Pittsburgh’s Third Spring Training Game

    In Pittsburgh’s third spring training game, this time against the Toronto Blue Jays, 19-year old top Pirates prospect Termarr Johnson lit up the game log, even if the Pirates lost. Johnson, the fourth overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Pirates, blasted not one, but two home runs against the Blue Jays in…

  • We Are Officially On Emil Bemström Six-Goal Watch

    Emil Bemström wasted little time making a name for himself in a Pittsburgh Penguins uniform. The team’s recent addition via trade scored his first goal as a Penguin in his debut game, and he picked a great time to do it. The team needed as many hands on deck as possible in their crazy, thrilling,…

  • Liover Peguero Makes Early Case For The Second Base Job

    In the first Pirates spring training game this season broadcast on tv, potential second baseman Liover Peguero came ready to play. The 23-year old broke onto the major league scene last year, when he got into 59 games for the Pirates after earning a call-up. His rise to the Pirates was surprising and rather rapid.…

  • Henry Davis Impresses In Spring Training Debut

    Baseball is officially back, baby! The Pirates opened up spring training play in the Grapefruit League today, paying the Minnesota Twins a visit in Fort Myers, Florida. For the Pirates, there were lots of interesting names to keep an eye on, including Canaan Smith-Njigba and Edward Olivares, who both started in Pittsburgh’s opening game. But…

  • The Banishment Of Ty Smith

    I have to give credit to Andrew Destin over at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His article on the present day-Ty Smith helped spark this deep dive I went into Smith’s career. His article, which you can find here, provides an interesting look into Smith’s thoughts now, almost two years removed from the trade. But to understand how…

  • I’m A Big Fan Of The Emil Bemström Trade

    Consider it the unofficial beginning of Kyle Dubas’ vision moving forward. Unofficial, because it doesn’t involve moving out anyone currently on the NHL roster, and it’s not the headliner type of trade that the Penguins might be making several of in the next few weeks. It also doesn’t really fit the style of trade that…

  • Waiver Wire Wackiness: Colin White Makes His Canadiens Debut Against The Penguins

    Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Colin White will make his debut for his new team, the Montreal Canadiens, against his old team tonight at PPG Paints Arena. The forward was claimed off waivers by Montreal earlier today, and luckily for White, all he will have to do is travel across the hallway to the visitor’s locker…

  • Analyzing Kyle Dubas’ Pre-Deadline Press Conference

    At 2pm on Wednesday afternoon, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas stood at the podium and took questions on the state of the current team, the upcoming trade deadline, and the road ahead. There was a lot to like from this presser. Dubas acknowledged that the team needs to overall get younger, and he said he…

  • Latest Loss Features Everything Wrong With The Penguins, And Why The Season Is Done

    Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has just left the building. Only this time, he left out of disgust. The Penguins fell 5-4 to the New York Islanders in overtime Tuesday night at home, in the latest of heartbreaking losses that will doom this year’s Penguins season. In most cases, getting a point thanks to a loss…

  • The Power Play Kills Yet Another Game

    It was an unforgettable weekend if you were a Pittsburgh Penguins, or maybe just a Jaromir Jagr fan. In preparation for the Penguins to retire his #68, Jagr spent the weekend in town and even skated with the team on Saturday during practice. But that was just the appetizer to what was an absolutely amazing…

  • Penguins Claim Forward Matthew Phillips Off Waivers From Washington

    There’s a new guy in town, by the name of Matthew Phillips. The Penguins announced this afternoon that they have claimed the forward off waivers from the Washington Capitals. Washington had waived him yesterday. I didn’t expect him to be claimed by anyone, but clearly Kyle Dubas saw something in him, enough to put in…

  • Yeah, Rickard Rakell Has To Stay With Sidney Crosby, Right?

    Rickard Rakell looked like a new man last night in Chicago, in a 4-1 win for the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Chicago Blackhawks. Playing with Sidney Crosby will do that for you. With Jake Guentzel out for a considerable amount of time (anywhere up to four weeks), there became a wide open slot in Pittsburgh’s…

  • It’s Over. We Are Screwed.

    As if things could not get any worse after Wednesday night’s humiliating 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, Jake Guentzel went into the locker room midway through the third period. He did not record a shift in the final 12 minutes of the game, after appearing to be injured on an awkward hit into the…

  • This Is Not A Playoff Team

    If there were ever a time for urgency for this iteration of the Pittsburgh Penguins, last night was it. After back to back bad losses on the road to the Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets, the Penguins found themselves back home on Valentine’s Night. On a national broadcast against a Stanley Cup Playoff contender in…

  • Remembering The Good Times With Mitch Trubisky

    The Mitch Trubisky era in Pittsburgh is officially over. What we all saw coming after he was benched in Week 15 after a horrible loss to the Indianapolis Colts has finally happened, as the Steelers handed Trubisky his walking papers on Monday. Trubisky, along with offensive lineman Chuks Okorafor and punter Pressley Harvin, were released…

  • Pirates Invite Three Intriguing Names To Spring Training

    The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced three additional players have been extended non-roster invites to spring training, which kicks off in just a few days. Free agent pitcher signings Wily Peralta, Connor Sadzeck, and Brent Honeywell are the newest NRIs to head to Bradenton for the Pirates. Peralta spent the 2023 season with Washington’s Triple-A affiliate,…

  • Five Recent Deadline Additions That Instantly Felt Weird

    The trade deadline is rapidly approaching us. At the time of this publishing, we are under a month out from the March 8th date set. With the Penguins still being in somewhat unpredictable territory for what they will do at the deadline (buy, sell, or stand pat), I decided to look at some past trade…

  • Brenden Dillon’s Oddly Ugly History With The Pittsburgh Penguins

    For a guy who doesn’t see the Penguins all that often, Brenden Dillon has found a way to make headlines in Pittsburgh almost every time they meet. The problem is, they’re never for a good reason. As I write this, there is some serious concern for Penguins forward Noel Acciari, who suffered a brutal hit…

  • Four Things To Help Turn This Penguins Season Around

    Tonight kicks off the unofficial second half of the season, when the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets in their first game after the NHL All Star Break. At 22-17-7 (51 points), the Penguins currently sit at fifth place in the Metropolitan Division. They are a full seven points out of the second wild card spot…

  • The Best Game Of Baseball That Never Happened

  • Is A Le’Veon Bell Comeback Possible?

    Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell made headlines this weekend when he went on social media and proclaimed that he wanted to make a comeback to the National Football League. “I won’t start training until like March,” he stated in a series of Snapchat videos. “And I’m gonna be honest with myself. I gotta…

  • The Ultimate One-Game Wonder Pittsburgh Pirates Team

    I’ve said it before on here, but obscure players are always my favorite in team histories. And it doesn’t get more obscure than players who only played in one game for a team. With that, I dedicated an evening to going through the entire history of the Pittsburgh Pirates (well, back to 1891, when they…